Chapter Three
Harry was woken up early a few weeks later by Danica jumping up and down just outside his room. She'd opened the door and made sure to line her toes up to the change in flooring so she couldn't be told off for going into Harry's room.
Harry reached across for his glasses and shoved them on his nose, "Good morning trouble." He said sleepily flopping back down on his pillow.
"Today is ice ceem day!" She shouted, happy he was finally awake.
Harry smiled, he'd gotten his Hogwarts letter a few days before hand and they were going into Diagon Ally to get all of his things.
"You never know, the ice cream shop might be closed." He said swinging his legs out of bed and grinning at his little sister.
Danica got a look of panic on her face and ran to find her father. Harry got dressed quickly and stumbled down to the dinning room, helping himself to toast.
"There's a huge amount of books by this guy Gilderoy Lockhart; I'm not sure I've ever heard of him before." Harry said looking over the list again.
"He's got quiet a few books I believe." Lily said looking over Harry's shoulder, "I think he does defence against the dark arts, sort of an unofficial Auror around the world."
Snape walked into the room with Sirius who was carrying a now dressed Danica who was still very excited.
"He's very popular with the witches." Sirius said, putting Danica on her chair and covering a slice of toast in far to much chocolate spread for someone so young, which Danica happily shoved in her mouth covering her face.
Lily rolled her eyes and sat down as well, "He's not popular with all of us. I find him a bit pompous myself."
"Yeah Nikka agrees with you. She says he's far too fond of his creepy smile but apparently she's the only one in her class who doesn't. Several of the girls even have autographed pictures on their book." Sirius commented looking over a letter of his own.
"Is Nikka that girl from the Christmas party, Tonks's friend?" Harry asked with a small teasing smile.
Sirius shrugged, "Yes she is. Pass the jam Harry."
Harry handed over the pot and tried not to laugh at his godfather, who was rather clearly smitten by the young lady. He hadn't even been on a date with anyone else since they met, in fact he'd cancelled one he'd made earlier in the year.
They finished breakfast quickly and arrived neatly in the leaky cauldron. Since last year at Hogwarts and the Rita Skeeta article about the end of term even more people had been coming over whenever he left the house to say hello and tell him how brave he was. It was infuriating.
They made it through to Diagon Ally and met up with Draco and Pansy. Pansy's parents were on a business trip to America, to give a talk to MACUSA, so she was staying with Draco for the week.
"So books first since that's certainly the longest list to get." Sirius suggested.
"No! I hate that shop, he always tells me not to touch when I'm looking for a book. I wants ice ceem!" Danica said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"I'll take her." Sirius said, "Meet us at the ice cream parlour when you're done?"
Lily nodded, "It looks really crowded anyway."
"I'll go with Sirius and Danica if you can take Pansy and Draco?" Narcissa suggested, Lucius nodded.
"Of course." Lily smiled, "I'll take all of them and get them done quickly if all of you want to go."
Lily led the three children towards the very busy book store, the line reaching out the door. She made her way past the people queuing and got the children inside. Once they were inside they could see a huge poster, "Gilderoy Lockhart- Magical Me- Book signing today! 12:30-4:30pm"
Lily sighed, "Let's just get the books as quickly as we can." she wanted to leave the shop as soon as she could.
She looked over the list of books they needed and quickly popped three copies of each into a basket. Harry was just reaching over to grab a book when a short man with a camera pushed into him. The camera was flashing at a man with bright blond hair, even brighter white teeth in forget-me-not blue robes. He was surrounded by pictures of himself smiling and winking at the camera.
The man stood up and flicked his hair dramatically, "Bless my soul. It can't be. It's Harry Potter!"
The photographer stopped and looked over Harry as the room fell quiet. The photographer pushed Harry towards Lockhart who came around the desk he was sitting at and grabbed hold of Harry.
"Big smiles Harry together, me AND you! We'll make the front page, certainly worth it the both of us!" Lockhart gave an extra big grin showing of all his teeth.
"Harry!" Lily said seeing what was going on and making her way over to him.
"Out of the way madam; this is for the Daily Prophet!" the photographer said giving Lily a small shove backwards out the way.
"Excuse me but that is my son." She snapped back.
Draco and Pansy were standing just behind her looking helplessly at what was going on.
"And it's a pleasure to meet you!" Gilderoy Lockhart said coming forward and shaking her hand, "What an honour to meet the mother of Harry Potter!"
Lily smiled politely and pulled her hand away, "Thank you well, we only came into get Harry's new books so really must be going."
"What an extraordinary coincidence this is!" Lockhart beamed pulling Harry in tightly to his side, "Ladies and Gentlemen this is a perfect moment to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for sometime! When young Harry here stepped into Florish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my entire collection of books, including my autobiography, 'Magical Me'-"
The crowd applauded loudly, Harry could see Ron's mother in the crowd with a very annoyed looking Ron and who, he supposed, was his little sister peering round her mother. His heart fell; as if things weren't bad enough.
Lockhart raised his hand to quieten the crowd, "He had no idea that he would be getting much more than a copy of my books, free of charge and signed of course," another round of applause, "He and his school fellows would be getting me! The real life 'Magical Me' if you will. Yes Ladies and Gentlemen I will be taking the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! It has been confirmed although of course, I had hinted at it to the lovely Ms Rita Skeeter a few months ago"
The room burst into applause again. Harry stumbled backwards slightly, knocking his glasses askew slightly, as Gilderoy Lockhart dumped a huge pile of shiny books into his arms. There were a few more pictures taken before Harry was able to move away back to his mother.
"Are you all right?" she asked taking the pile of book from him.
Harry nodded, "I'm fine I just want to get going." he mumbled.
Draco and Pansy wrapped an arm around him either side protectively and made their way towards the door. Their path was blocked quickly by Ron though glaring at them.
"Love fame now don't you Potter?" he spat.
"Excuse me but we must get going." Lily said trying to move past Ron.
"Aww needs Mummy whore to stick up for you." Ron said quietly.
Harry felt his blood boil, "Fuck off Ron!" he shouted.
"That is enough Harry. Let's just go." Lily told him pushing Ron to the side.
"Don't be nasty to him." the younger red headed girl said, her top lip quivering slightly.
"Back off Ginny, best you don't mix with this sort!" Molly, Ron's mother, said coming over and pulling her daughter to her side, "I'd kindly like you to stop your son from being such a bully as well."
"Harry isn't a bully." Pansy said, "If anything it's Ronald. He's the one who wont leave us alone!"
"Well I can see why he's gone down such a nasty path; hanging out with you two all the time." Molly snapped, clearly angry.
Lily was just about to answer when the small bell over the door tinkled.
"Well isn't a nice surprise to see my darling nephew out and about."
They all froze and looked over to the door to see Bellatrix entering the shop. Lily moved herself in front of Harry slightly and gave her a tense smile.
"Hi Aunt Bella." Draco said awkwardly.
"Your Grace while we're in public Draco, especially with this sort of company." she looked up and down Ronald and his sister, "Well, ugly, red hair, shabby robes, worse books," she said picking a very old text book from the battered cauldron the Ginny was carrying, "You must be Weasleys. So sad to see a pureblood family sink so low."
Harry could see Ron's temper rise to the surface, "Rather be me than all high and mighty and full of myself like you." he spat back at her.
Bellatrix laughed and shook her head, "Don't worry. That temper will pass with time and it's really your parents faults are not yours." she dropped the book back in the cauldron, "No one blames you for your… faults. It was nice to see you Draco, do give your mother my best."
"What's Aunt Bella doing in a book shop?" Draco asked stunned. He'd never even heard of his Aunt shopping in person.
Lily shook her head, "We'd best catch up with everyone. Had more than enough excitement for one day."
Harry nodded and made his way quickly out the shop to join the rest of his family who were happily tucking into large ice creams.
